Summary: VMB-423 was commissioned
on 15 September 1943 at Cherry Point, NC. In October 1943 squadron was
transferred to Edenton, NC, and upon completion of training, departed for El Centro, CA in December
1943, arriving on 3 January 1944. The ground echelon embarked and
sailed aboard the USS Hammondsport, arriving at Espiritu
Santo 11 March 1944. Sailing with their aircraft aboard the USS Prince
William, the flight echelon arrived and rejoined the ground echelon one month later.
My middle of May 1944 the flight echelon was operating from Sterling Island but
was transferred on 21 June 1944 for Green Island to rejoin the ground echelon which had
arrived from Espiritu Santo. Over the next year, VMB423 carried out
both daylight and nighttime attacks against targets on New Britain and
New Ireland and provided close air support strikes for
Australian troops on Bougainville. By middle of June 1945 squadron
redeployed northward and was
operating from Emirau. On 10 August 1945, the squadron was once again
reassigned northward to Malabang in the Philippines, arriving on 16 August 1945, just as war ended. VMB-423 was
decommissioned at Miramar, CA on 30 November 1945 following the squadron's
return to the United States.